jason mraz @ the orpheum theatre.

last night, i accompanied precious to her first concert--jason mraz live at the orpheum theatre. i also saw jason mraz perform in the fall of 2003 at brandeis. he opened for the roots before a largely hip hop crowd. my review of last night's show cannot help but be framed in terms of his brandeis performance.

after brandeis, i walked away thinking 2 things 1) jason mraz can blow and 2) jason mraz is a stellar performer. he employed innovation and commanded an audience of largely hip hop fans. mraz is a classically trained opera singer & employs vocal tricks that captivate & speak to his talent. for example, in one section, he orgasmed in operatic notes. googly eyed freshmen in the front row could not help but wish that they, in that moment, had the pleasure of fellating him. he engaged the crowd of about 1000 by telling stories and throwing flirtatious winks.

last night, the originality was lost. the crowd was littered with young girls wearing mraz emblazoned baby Ts. like many popular artists, mraz did not have to earn the respect of the crowd. rather, young girls screamed for him unabashedly. he performed hits in a predictable sequence never daring to alter the arrangement or even cover the music of artists he admires. he is smart, though. his audience could never have appreciated a gaye or cash sample. he did, however, sing a verse in french. he was playful, but not powerful. i wish for his sake that he finds a musical home that allows him to be creative.